A solemn ceremony took place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware as the United States honored six Army Reserve soldiers who were killed during a drone strike in Kuwait, marking one of the most significant early losses in the escalating conflict linked to Operation Epic Fury.
President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer ceremony alongside Vice President JD Vance and several senior officials of the U.S. government.
The ceremony is a military tradition in which the remains of fallen service members are returned to the United States and received with formal honors before being transported for burial.
Also present at the ceremony were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Governors and senators from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Florida were also in attendance to pay their respects to the soldiers and support their families.
The six soldiers were identified by the U.S. Department of Defense as Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa; Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.
Coady was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant after his death.
Military officials confirmed that the soldiers were part of the 103rd Sustainment Command, a unit based in Des Moines, Iowa, responsible for providing logistical support to American forces, including transportation, fuel, supplies and operational equipment.
The soldiers lost their lives when a drone strike hit a command facility at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait, where U.S. personnel were operating.
The attack occurred shortly after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against targets in Iran, escalating tensions across the Middle East.
During the ceremony, the flag-draped transfer cases carrying the remains of the fallen soldiers were carefully carried from a military aircraft to waiting vehicles that transported them to the mortuary facility at Dover Air Force Base, where preparations are made before returning them to their families.
Family members and colleagues shared memories of the fallen soldiers. Joey Amor, husband of Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, said she had been scheduled to return home to him and their two children just days before the attack.
Elizabeth Marzan, sister of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, described her brother as a strong leader and devoted family man.
Andrew Coady, father of Sgt. Declan J. Coady, said his son was dedicated to his service and admired by fellow soldiers for his commitment and kindness.
Meanwhile, relatives of Capt. Cody A. Khork, including Donna Burhans, James Khork, and Stacey Khork, remembered him as someone who had dreamed of serving in the military since childhood.
Family members of Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, including his cousin Kaylyn Golike, also paid tribute to the soldier, asking for prayers for his wife, parents, and 12-year-old son.
The dignified transfer ceremony lasted approximately half an hour, as military personnel, officials and families stood in silence to honor the sacrifice of Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, Capt. Cody A. Khork, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, whose service and sacrifice are now remembered across the United States.